Detachable tube to bag connector means and method of making same



Sept. 6, 1966 J. L. CLARK 3,270,790

DETACHABLE TUBE TO BAG CONNECTOR MEANS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed March 9, 1964 \HVENTOR James LLLARK BYMM.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,270,790 DETACHABLE TUBE T0 BAG CONNECTOR MEANS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME James L. Clark, Whitefish Bay, Wis., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Plastronics, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a

corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 350,329 2 Claims. (Cl. 150-1) This invention relates to an improved connector means to establish fluid connection between a tube and a flexible container and the method of making such a connector.

The object of this invention is to provide a connector means which can be readily assembled for use and will remain securely in assembled position during use.

Another object is to provide such a connector means which is of relatively simple construction and of reasonable cost.

Another object is to provide an improved method of making such a connector means which can be performed by a few simple steps.

The objects of this invention are attained by the use of a flexible container having opposite side walls made from sheets of plastic material. The particular connector means covered by this application is comprised of first and second strips of plastic material, each formed integral with the opposite walls of the flexible plastic container, said strips together forming a substantially rectangular shaped extension of said container, said extension having opposite side edges and .a single end edge. To complete the construction of the connector means, a pair of resilient sponge-like plastic strips are positioned in face-to-face relationship between said first and second strips formed on the opposite walls of the container. The final step is to seal the opposite side edges and the single end edge of the first and second sheets and said pair of resilient sponge-like plastic strips together. When it is desired to establish a connection between a tube and the container the single edge portion of the container extension is cut off to thus give access to the inside of the container between said pair of sponge-like plastic strips. The tube is then inserted through the access opening. The parts are dimensioned so that the tube will be frictionally engaged by the spongy material of said pair of inner strips.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent from the specification and claims, as will obvious modifications of the single embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view (with parts broken away) of a flexible container equipped with a connector means of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in which the container and connector means is shown in operating position; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken along lines 33 and 4-4 of FIG. 2, respectively.

While the connector means of this invention may be put to a wide variety of uses, for purposes of explanation it is shown as a part of a plastic disposable bedside drainage bag of the type used in hospitals and the like.

The disposable bedside bag is made from two sheets of vinyl plastic 12, 14 which are sealed to each other around the peripheral edges thereof as at 16 by any suitable welding procedure to provide a sealed container. While this invention is not limited to the use of any specific type of welding method the preferred method is that commonly known as electronic welding which employs the use of a high frequency electronic signal to fuse the two layers of plastic together.

The construction of the novel connector means of this invention is shown in detail in FIG. 4 and includes an "ice elongated gripping portion 18 formed in "bag 10 preferably in the upper portion thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Such gripping portion is comprised of a pair of concentric tubes 20 and 22 fitted one inside the other as shown in FIG. 4. The outer tube 20 is formed from the two layers 12 and 14 of the bag itself. The inner tube 22 is formed of two normally fiat layers 24 and 26 of a resilient, porous, foam-like plastic material which are sealed along their edges as at 16 by welding as described above. While inner tube 22 maybe of various materials, it is preferably made from a vinyl plastic foam material.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing, the bag is made by first cutting and marking sheets 12 and 14 and then placing them in back-to-back relationship. Prior to welding the two strips 24 and 26 of vinyl plastic foam are positioned 'between the two sheets 12 and 14 in the area of gripping portion 18 (FIG. 1). The two sheets 12 and 14 together with strips 24 and 26 are then welded together along the longitudinal edges thereof in a single welding operation. A suitable supporting strap 27 is installed by means of a lacing hook 28 and the bag is then ready for shipment to a hospital for use.

To use the bag, the tip 30 of gripping portion 18 is cut oil? along the dotted line shown in FIG. 1 to thus give access to the inside of concentric tubes 20 and 22. The tubes are opened by squeezing the sides thereof along the weld areas 16 and the terminal end portion 32 of a tube 34 is inserted therein to the position shown in FIG. 2. Terminal portion 32 is preferably of a rigid or semirigid transparent plastic material and is dimensioned so that it will be frictionally engaged by the spongy material of tube 22 when inserted therein. Thus, tube 32 will be firmly gripped by the porous, foam-like material of inner tube 22 and 'be firmly retained therein despite any pulling, twisting, etc. of the tube experienced in normal usage.

While gripper portion 18 of bag 10 is shown of a size to accommodate an enlarged transparent terminal portion 32 fitted on the end of tube 34 to facilitate viewing flow therethrough it should be understood that the parts of such gripper portion may be dimensioned to accommodate the end of the tube itself in much the same manner. It will be further appreciated that a single bag can be provided with a plurality of different size gripper portions to facilitate connection to tubes of different diameter.

With the tube installed in gripper portion 18 the bag can be suspended from a bed member 36 by strap 27 as shown in FIG. 2 during which time it will provide a receptacle for the flow of liquid through tube 34 into the bag. When drainage is completed tube portion 32 can be removed from gripper portion 18 by simply pulling thereon and the contents of the bag poured therefrom by means of an outlet 38 which can be opened at the proper time by cutting along the dotted line 40 (FIG. 2). The bag 10 is then usually disposed of in any suitable manner.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Outlet means for a container, said container including sheets of synthetic resin forming opposite walls of said container, first and second relatively thin flat strips of like material forming rectangular integral extensions of said opposite walls of said container, said strips having opposite side edges and an end edge;

resilient, foam synthetic resin inserts considerably thicker than said strips positioned in an abutting face-to-face relationship between, co-extensive with and secured to said first and second strips, said pair of foam strips and said first and second plastic strips being sealed together along the outer periphery of said side edges and said end edge to form a peripherally sealed extension of said sheets, said end edge being readily severable to provide an access opening between the abutting foam plastic faces, said faces frictionally engaging a tube adapted to be inserted therein after severance of said sealed end edge.

2. Outlet means for a container, said container including sheets of synthetic resin forming opposite walls of said container, first and second relatively thin flat strips of like material forming rectangular integral extensions of said opposite walls of said container, said strips having opposite side edges and an end edge;

resilient, foam synthetic resin inserts considerably thicker than said strips positioned in an abutting face-to-face relationship between, co-extensive with and secured to said first and second strips, said pair of foam strips and said first and second plastic strips being sealed together along the outer periphery of be inserted therein through said access opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,873,592 8/1932 James et al. 285231 2,544,764 3/1951 Parkes 285348 2,720,247 10/1955 Richens 156290 2,834,345 5/1958 Tabbert 128-214 2,856,349 10/1958 Griffitts 128-349 2,894,510 7/1959 Bellamy 222541 X 3,147,014 9/ 1964 Ohnstad.

3,147,168 9/1964 Bateman 156290 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,280,430 11/ 1961 France.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

T. A. LISLE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. OUTLET MEANS FOR A CONTAINER, SAID CONTAINER INCLUDING SHEETS OF SYNTHETIC RESIN FORMING OPPOSITE WALLS OF SAID CONTAINER, FIRST AND SECOND RELATIVELY THIN FLAT STRIPS OF LIKE MATERIAL FORMING RECTANGULAR INTEGRAL EXTENSIONS OF SAID OPPOSITE WALLS OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID STRIPS HAVING OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES AND AN END EDGE; RESILIENT, FOAM SYNTHETIC RESIN INSERTS CONSIDERABLY THICKER THAN SAID STRIPS POSITIONED IN AN ABUTTING FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, CO-EXTENSIVE WITH AND SECURED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND STRIPS, SAID PAIR OF FOAM STRIPS AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLASTIC STRIPS BEING SEALED TOGETHER ALONG THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID SIDE EDGES AND SAID END EDGE TO FORM A PHERIPHERALLY SEALED EXTENSION OF SAID SHEETS, SAID END EDGE BEING READILY SEVERABLE TO PROVIDE AN ACCESS OPENING BETWEEN THE ABUTTING FOAM PLASTIC FACES, SAID FACES FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING A TUBE ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED THEREIN AFTER SEVERANCE OF SAID SEALED END EDGE. 